How to Identify Purslane: An Edible & Medicinal Wild Plant

Did you know that common purslane is not just a weed, but also a fantastic edible and medicinal plant?

Purslane grows just about everywhere from driveway cracks, to parking lots to garden beds

[{"selector":"#anim-03178908-9838-450f-a586-2737e9ad25cc","keyframes":[{"offset":0,"transform":"translate3d(0, -203.93409%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(.5, 0, 1, 1)"},{"offset":0.29,"transform":"translate3d(0, 0%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1)"},{"offset":0.45,"transform":"translate3d(0, -57.346266108%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(.5, 0, 1, 1)"},{"offset":0.61,"transform":"translate3d(0, 0%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1)"},{"offset":0.71,"transform":"translate3d(0, -19.496099004%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(.5, 0, 1, 1)"},{"offset":0.8,"transform":"translate3d(0, 0%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1)"},{"offset":0.85,"transform":"translate3d(0, -7.321233831%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(.5, 0, 1, 1)"},{"offset":0.92,"transform":"translate3d(0, 0%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1)"},{"offset":0.96,"transform":"translate3d(0, -3.181371804%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(.5, 0, 1, 1)"},{"offset":1,"transform":"translate3d(0, 0%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1)"}],"delay":0,"duration":600,"fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f9b558d7-7922-4f01-96e8-1965a2431a51 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Learn more

Purslane is a low-growing plant that features unique thick and reddish-colored stems that trail along the ground

[{"selector":"#anim-3d893e73-450a-4bf5-b9ca-a64035dd3a5a [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-7.812499744007886%, 0, 0) translate(-25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fb3cef03-ab35-48c9-a52a-1218e276db2f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-df7c5817-e992-4e82-acd2-bb41d57e86c7","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.46541%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Learn more

In the morning, purslane displays lovely small yellow flower blooms

[{"selector":"#anim-b7f66187-b6ef-488e-94f6-f8c8b4bfb1bd","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-32f5fcef-2c68-4d6c-a07e-5a977a79346c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 204.86520%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-dc2c396d-afc8-4f8e-a7d5-e3c4efac0a7b [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-7.812499744007886%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Learn more

The leaves are succulent & fleshy, shaped like paddles, & have smooth surfaces and edges

[{"selector":"#anim-da3abb5a-0bcb-42da-860a-6ca917f51db4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b74f2700-bea9-40f5-b462-1805fee8b5f1","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(114.46540%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6ec55975-bc28-4b45-ad69-77e560221a10 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(7.812499744007886%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Learn more

Purslane poisonous look-alikes include plants in the spurge family, such as spotted spurge

[{"selector":"#anim-9ebd0936-f983-4224-ba11-9a3e704b76e1","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}] [{"selector":"#anim-d5fbc6ed-a928-44db-8d0c-39b8cc89b382 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Learn more

The leaves make a wonderful addition to summer salads

[{"selector":"#anim-d2e7d848-d316-4c3b-9d25-9f76fe893ba3","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(114.46540%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.2, 0, .8, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-79be79ef-c80a-44a8-ad46-e6438f5207c8","keyframes":{"transform":["rotateZ(180deg)","rotateZ(0deg)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.2, 0, .5, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-208cbe08-c9ab-485b-8e24-bc993a04f53b [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-7.812499744007886%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Learn more

Similar to aloe, purslane leaves can help soothe cuts & burns

[{"selector":"#anim-7d154508-5e4f-4edf-9bcd-9c043c84ff8a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.46541%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-038391f3-0199-4d44-8c79-caa012fbec80","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a5cdde54-966f-4f2f-bfff-3f15a9f16cad","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5432e4fb-e7ad-43af-a7ce-c390175e5694 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Learn more